diff --git a/vpr/src/device/rr_graph_builder.cpp b/vpr/src/device/rr_graph_builder.cpp
index c658b91df23..790bdd1baff 100644
--- a/vpr/src/device/rr_graph_builder.cpp
+++ b/vpr/src/device/rr_graph_builder.cpp
@@ -51,6 +51,9 @@ void RRGraphBuilder::clear() {
     node_lookup_.clear();
 }
 
+void RRGraphBuilder::set_node_direction(RRNodeId id, Direction new_direction) {
+    node_storage_.set_node_direction(id, new_direction);
+}
 void RRGraphBuilder::set_node_coordinates(RRNodeId id, short x1, short y1, short x2, short y2) {
     node_storage_.set_node_coordinates(id, x1, y1, x2, y2);
 }
diff --git a/vpr/src/device/rr_graph_builder.h b/vpr/src/device/rr_graph_builder.h
index e135e538ae2..8c87cb00e57 100644
--- a/vpr/src/device/rr_graph_builder.h
+++ b/vpr/src/device/rr_graph_builder.h
@@ -55,7 +55,10 @@ class RRGraphBuilder {
     /** @brief Clear all the underlying data storage */
     void clear();
 
-    /** @brief Set the node coordinate */
+    /** @brief Set the node direction  */
+    void set_node_direction(RRNodeId, Direction new_direction);
+
+  /** @brief Set the node coordinate */
     void set_node_coordinates(RRNodeId id, short x1, short y1, short x2, short y2);
 
     /* -- Internal data storage -- */
diff --git a/vpr/src/route/clock_network_builders.cpp b/vpr/src/route/clock_network_builders.cpp
index 2ea41e09370..ed928d99ac5 100644
--- a/vpr/src/route/clock_network_builders.cpp
+++ b/vpr/src/route/clock_network_builders.cpp
@@ -325,7 +325,7 @@ int ClockRib::create_chanx_wire(int x_start,
     node.set_track_num(ptc_num);
     node.set_rc_index(find_create_rr_rc_data(
         x_chan_wire.layer.r_metal, x_chan_wire.layer.c_metal));
-    node.set_direction(direction);
+    rr_graph_builder.set_node_direction(chanx_node, direction);
 
     short seg_index = 0;
     switch (direction) {
@@ -624,7 +624,8 @@ int ClockSpine::create_chany_wire(int y_start,
     rr_nodes->emplace_back();
     auto node_index = rr_nodes->size() - 1;
     auto node = rr_nodes->back();
-    RRNodeId chany_node = RRNodeId(node_index);
+
+    RRNodeId chanx_node = RRNodeId(node_index);
 
     rr_graph_builder.set_node_coordinates(chany_node, x, y_start, x, y_end);
     node.set_type(CHANY);
@@ -632,7 +633,7 @@ int ClockSpine::create_chany_wire(int y_start,
     node.set_track_num(ptc_num);
     node.set_rc_index(find_create_rr_rc_data(
         y_chan_wire.layer.r_metal, y_chan_wire.layer.c_metal));
-    node.set_direction(direction);
+    rr_graph_builder.set_node_direction(chanx_node, direction);
 
     short seg_index = 0;
     switch (direction) {
diff --git a/vpr/src/route/rr_graph.cpp b/vpr/src/route/rr_graph.cpp
index 7936afbe134..134fd678f18 100644
--- a/vpr/src/route/rr_graph.cpp
+++ b/vpr/src/route/rr_graph.cpp
@@ -1673,7 +1673,7 @@ static void build_rr_chan(RRGraphBuilder& rr_graph_builder,
 
         L_rr_node.set_node_ptc_num(node, track);
         L_rr_node.set_node_type(node, chan_type);
-        L_rr_node.set_node_direction(node, seg_details[track].direction());
+        rr_graph_builder.set_node_direction(node, seg_details[track].direction());
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/vpr/src/route/rr_graph_uxsdcxx_serializer.h b/vpr/src/route/rr_graph_uxsdcxx_serializer.h
index 0876b8b6074..cc8b4e1948c 100644
--- a/vpr/src/route/rr_graph_uxsdcxx_serializer.h
+++ b/vpr/src/route/rr_graph_uxsdcxx_serializer.h
@@ -817,6 +817,8 @@ class RrGraphSerializer final : public uxsd::RrGraphBase<RrGraphContextTypes> {
     inline void set_node_direction(uxsd::enum_node_direction direction, int& inode) final {
         const auto& rr_graph = (*rr_graph_);
         auto node = (*rr_nodes_)[inode];
+        RRNodeId node_id = node.id();
+
         if (direction == uxsd::enum_node_direction::UXSD_INVALID) {
             if (rr_graph.node_type(node.id()) == CHANX || rr_graph.node_type(node.id()) == CHANY) {
                 report_error(
@@ -824,7 +826,7 @@ class RrGraphSerializer final : public uxsd::RrGraphBase<RrGraphContextTypes> {
                     inode, rr_graph.node_type(node.id()));
             }
         } else {
-            node.set_direction(from_uxsd_node_direction(direction));
+            rr_graph_builder_->set_node_direction(node_id, from_uxsd_node_direction(direction));
         }
     }
     inline uxsd::enum_node_direction get_node_direction(const t_rr_node& node) final {
diff --git a/vpr/src/route/rr_node.cpp b/vpr/src/route/rr_node.cpp
index f31c8c701ac..ffbb14372b4 100644
--- a/vpr/src/route/rr_node.cpp
+++ b/vpr/src/route/rr_node.cpp
@@ -83,10 +83,6 @@ void t_rr_node::set_capacity(short new_capacity) {
     storage_->set_node_capacity(id_, new_capacity);
 }
 
-void t_rr_node::set_direction(Direction new_direction) {
-    storage_->set_node_direction(id_, new_direction);
-}
-
 void t_rr_node::add_side(e_side new_side) {
     storage_->add_node_side(id_, new_side);
 }
diff --git a/vpr/src/route/rr_node.h b/vpr/src/route/rr_node.h
index 23fc2acd558..a7c61e4aee6 100644
--- a/vpr/src/route/rr_node.h
+++ b/vpr/src/route/rr_node.h
@@ -120,7 +120,6 @@ class t_rr_node {
     void set_cost_index(size_t);
     void set_rc_index(short);
 
-    void set_direction(Direction);
     void set_side(e_side);
     void add_side(e_side);